Visit us

Follow us

Search KidSpot

Common fears in older kids

As your child gets older, you'll find that she will grow out of many of the fears that marked her toddler years - to be replaced by a more sophisticated brand of fear. Most will be rooted in the real world - death, getting lost, divorce of her parents, burglary, house fire - but some will remain in the imaginary world - ghosts, monsters that come out in the dark.

How can I help my child overcome her fears?

Listen to her and make sure that she knows that you are taking her fears seriously.

Don't lie to her. If she asks you tricky questions about war, death, or divorce, give her a truthful answer - you don't need to give her more information than she needs so don't elaborate if she's satisfied with a simple answer.

Don't indulge her fantasies by fighting with the monsters in her room - by doing this, you're actually telling her that you too believe that there are monsters in her bedroom.

With gentle guidance, encourage her to slowly face her fear - when she does eventually overcome her fear, she will feel as though she has achieved a great deal.

If locking the bedroom window, sleeping with a night-light, or crossing the road to avoid a dog allows her to deal with her fear, then let her make these choices.

REMEMBER!

Many children are frightened of things that we, as adults, struggle to understand. Whatever the fear - no matter how irrational - it is very real to your child so never make fun of her and don't force her to confront it if she's not ready to.